Museum director Ian Griffin said some of the butterflies would live out their natural lifespan, which sometimes exceeded six weeks, during the lockdown.
Other creatures, including quail and turtles, would also be cared for by staff, despite the museum being closed to the public.
The museum had chosen to do things differently during the lockdown, as had other Dunedin cultural institutions.
Last week it launched an online an "@hOMe—your museum, in your home" initiative.
Staff, who were mostly working from home, had created blogs, jigsaw puzzles, video chats, craft activities and science experiments. Two video interviews featuring international film director and deep sea explorer James Cameron were also being shown.
Dunedin City Toitu Otago Settlers Museum curator Sean Brosnahan had given three short talks on early Dunedin history since the lockdown.
The Dunedin Public Art Gallery and the Dunedin Public Art Gallery were also making internet presentations.
Southland Museum & Art Gallery Trust Board said last week Kimberley Stephenson and Laura Davies, of the collections team, had taken over responsibility for the day-to-day monitoring of the tuatara and insects during the lockdown.
